


Stardust

by beazibo



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Cool, F/M, Fantasy, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, Light Angst, Stars, crackheadassery, idk actually, slowburn, soft, there might be sexual content?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:08:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23293753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beazibo/pseuds/beazibo
Summary: We are made of stardust. That's why we shine and that's why we glow. We are the children of the stars, our luminescence runs within our blood. When the child of a star is born, its light refracts and its soul splits into two; one for you and the other for the one you were destined to be with.That's why people say that we were written in the stars.
Relationships: Park Seonghwa/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	1. Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> heheh helloo i've decided to also publish this on ao3! it's still ongoing but if you want to read some more that i've already published, it's the exact same title and the exact same profile as this one on wattpad ehehe but it's heavily unedited sOO. good dayy!!

**THE** Big Bang; the birth of the cosmos and the beginning of life in this lonely, black world. The sound, the chaos and the force blasts though the empty spaces of nothingness, now leaving the formerly shadowed world into the rushing hot energy of scrambling molecules and the universal compounds trying to quickly find their own spots to cool down.

Slowly but surely, the materials start to decorate the blank canvas and they now shine as different shining colours dancing in the night sky.

When a star is born, the remainder of its dust begins to wander off the still dark outer space along with the rest of the creation of the universe. Overtime, solar systems were formed and along with solar systems came moons and planets, along with moons and planets came comets and asteroids. Quasars and nebulae came after, when some stars die out and are left into nothingness.

And the once empty space is brought to a circle of life.

But what happened to the remaining dust from the creation of stars?

_We are stardust_ , many people say.

That's right, they created humans. With the very same molecules and compounds, the Gods up above tell the stardust to make up the human body. The very same material the glittering sky wonders were made of are flowing through the human arteries.

Each person belongs to a star, a star in which their bodies are made from. And each person shares a star with one other being, somewhere on earth, whose body and soul are made from the same heavenly body. Their connections run deep, even without them knowing. And when they touch, a mark will begin to form on them, a whimsical star drawn delicately on their backs, letting them know that they're _home_.

Some people may call them soulmates.

But they were just written in the stars.


	2. I'm Sorry, I Just Couldn't Let You Sit Here Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He lets out an inaudible "oh" before outstretching his arm. "I'm Seonghwa if you're wondering. Park Seonghwa."
> 
> "Nice to make an acquaintance, Mr Park Seonghwa, I'm Jeon Hyeshin," I tell him, reaching out for his hand before shaking it and I feel his firm grasp on my hand.
> 
> "Pretty name," he comments, a smile ghosting his lips.
> 
> "Thanks," I reply, trying to disguise my reddening cheeks by letting my hair cover the sides of my face.
> 
> "My parents gave me it when I was born."

**WHEN** the first rays of the sun break through my curtains, I felt light on air. The yellow-ish glow decorates my bedroom floor, streaking across my white covers. Right away, I could hear the faint chirping of the birds outside and for a second, I thought it would be a good day.

That is, until, with so much laziness and a restrained yawn, I sluggishly fling my hand to find my phone on the bedside table when I notice that I didn't hear the alarm ringing.

Maybe you shouldn't celebrate too soon and I think I've learnt this in the somehow not so easy way.

It wouldn't be a problem if I'd woken up at 7 am on a weekday as I've always been a morning person. Usually, I'd take the opportunity to an early start to the day to clear my thoughts and maybe, you know, stretch a bit and listen to calming music before the box of chaos called life throws itself on my face.

But when you wake up before 8 am, on a Sunday, with absolutely no plans ahead further into the day, there really is no point.

But despite that, of course, mornings are never really complete without coffee. Just the subtle kick of sugar to start the day, to get you up on your feet. That's why the first place my feet take me is to the roastery they have in town, not too far from the university I'm attending.

Let's just hope no one comments on my clearly oversized hoodie and striped pyjama pants. I mean, come on, even _I_ think 7 am is too early to dress up.

The roastery was always crowded with people, more or less by students with their laptops out and their eyes half-opened - probably due to spending their night here having to survive on being nocturnal with just the occasional sips from whatever drink they have in their mugs. The 24-hour place was like a blessing to these students and even though I don't come here as often as some of these people, I could tell this was their comfortable spot - after getting kicked out from the uni libraries of course.

As per usual, the roastery had a very strong scent of coffee beans and heavy cream. It was kind of refreshing, almost, like the kind to suddenly lift the pressure off your shoulders. The air is much warmer than the weather outside and the lights are a faded yellow glow. When I enter, I hear the soft melody of the background song playing through the speakers mixing in tune with the faint whirring of the coffee machines at the front. The perfect atmosphere to sit down and think for a while.

I order my usual, hot cappuccino with floating marshmallows on top and three pieces of chocolate filled croissants, before finding a vacant seat near the front of the shop and look out to the slowly waking city outside of these glass windows.

As I sip the warm mug of caffeine, I scan the rest of the shop with watchful eyes as more and more people start coming in whilst some others head out to enjoy the morning sunshine. One person specifically though, caught my eyes. He enters the roastery with hesitance, his eyes as if searching for a person but he took confident strides to the back of the shop. Maybe waiting for someone.

I can't ignore the fact that I've seen him around campus grounds maybe once or twice before, and if he does go to the same uni, what does he take? My mind recalls to the one time I passed by him in the hallways with music student, Kim Hongjoong a week ago. Maybe he took the same? Art and music never shared the same classes, maybe that's why I've never seen him much.

Time passes and I've almost finished what I have on my plate but he still sits there at the back of the roastery with a glass of water to keep him company. He looks out every once in a while, eyes snapping to the door each time a person comes in. But the person he's waiting for doesn't come and he sighs before he returns to his phone again.

Many were staring at him now, why he was alone in a place where usually a lot of people meet and yet he was alone and only have a glass of water - well, 'had' to be exact as he's downed the rest of the liquid. Somewhere deep inside of me feels bad for him. Who was he waiting for and why are they letting him sit there alone?

I guess the boy feels a little embarrassed now, as he slowly slumps down on the chair he was sitting on to make himself look smaller.

I don't think twice when my hand grabs the last of my croissants and my feet take me to the direction of his table.

When I get there, I was greeted by big round chocolate eyes, staring at me in confusion. They almost distract me with the warm embrace they hold, but I pull myself out of my trance I was getting myself into before I get in too far.

"I'm sorry I'm late," I say to him, causing more confusion to flow into his expression. "I'm sure you've been waiting for a long time."

My eyes take a sneaky glance around me and find that most people aren't looking at him anymore and are now focusing in their own businesses. I breathe out a sigh of relief and turn to face him again.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't let you sit here alone with all these people looking at you," I admit honestly and play with the ends of my sleeves.

The boy's eyes grow wide and quickly pats the space in front of him. "Seriously, do you know how long I had to wait for you? Did your cat run away again?" When I hear the playful tone in his voice, I could tell he was playing along and I laugh, pulling out a seat and plonk myself down.

"Actually, I was just over there but didn't see you," I say to him and he gasps, placing a hand over his mouth. "That's - I feel special."

And the two of us burst into a fit of laughter.

"Now tell me," I say once we've calmed down, "who's the brat who bailed on you?" I ask in a hushed tone, "'cause that asshole will get their face beaten."

The boy rolls his eyes. "I was supposed to meet San here but I don't even know where he is right now."

"So is San your..."

"My cousin," he continues, "sometimes a pain in the ass and some other times just downright annoying but we love him anyway."

"Naww poor you."

"I know."

Before silence falls upon us, he breaks into another sentence. "Hey, thanks for saving me from getting any more embarrassed, by the way."

"Nah it's cool," I wave him off, biting into my croissant, "besides, I could use some company. I was here alone too, you know?"

He lets out an inaudible "oh" before outstretching his arm. "I'm Seonghwa if you're wondering. Park Seonghwa."

"Nice to make an acquaintance, Mr Park Seonghwa, I'm Jeon Hyeshin," I tell him, reaching out for his hand before shaking it and I feel his firm grasp on my hand.

"Pretty name," he comments, a smile ghosting his lips.

"Thanks," I reply, trying to disguise my reddening cheeks by letting my hair cover the sides of my face.

"My parents gave me it when I was born," I continue to say but once I've realised the stupidity that flew out of my mouth, I facepalm inwardly.

However, Seonghwa doesn't say anything and instead chuckles in amusement. "I guess that's a pretty beautiful present they got you for your birthday."

Against me and my own will, my cheeks burn at his compliment but I mask it with a scowl and one aggressive bite on my croissant. "You're good at this, aren't you?" I wave my croissant as I chew on the bread, watching as a boyish grin makes its way on to his face.

"Only so-so," Seonghwa answers, a small laugh escaping his lips, "I still need to work harder though, my friend Wooyoung is such a pro he takes grandmas out on dates." The sandy-blonde haired boy leans back on his seat with a smug look on his face and his arms crossed across his chest.

I almost drop my croissant.

"Wooyoung as in Jung Wooyoung?" I splutter out of me being baffled, my eyes widening.

"You know him?" we both ask at the same time and we pause.

"How did you -?"

Seonghwa nods to signal me to speak first.

"English literature, back seat, third from the left, hobby is paper plane throwing," I list to him on my fingers. "You?"

"San's best friend, I think?" Seonghwa tells me.

Jung Wooyoung... _San..?_

"Oh, I think I know him," I say, tilting my head to one side as I try to remember the face of the figure always by Jung Wooyoung's side. "Let me guess, the guy with red-streaked black hair?"

"He's the man."

I blink. "Wow, I'm -" I begin to say, "I must say, the colour choices for his hair are very . . . _Creative_?"

The boy in front of me chuckles slightly, biting his bottom lip as he rolls his eyes. "Don't even try to be nice, it looks ridiculous," Seonghwa comments, "you should've seen his mum's reaction."

"She flipped?"

"She flipped."

"Hey, but on him, I guess it's not _that_ bad," I tell him, shrugging.

"Well, I guess, but -"

"- it's nice that my name gets around!" a chirpy voice cuts off my next sentence. Seonghwa and I turn our heads to a brightly smiling boy.

My eyes widen at who it is. It's the familiar red-black haired boy (the colours really seem to suit him now that I see it a lot closer), dressed in casual clothing just like the cousin of his, almost looking up and ready to go and head out if it wasn't for his slightly puffy eyes that are still tinted pink.

Well, guess who just got out of bed, I suppose.

"Well, look who decided to show up," Seonghwa comments before reaching out for the nearest thing he could hold - which thankfully is just a stack of napkins - before hurling them at San's face.

"Ey, ey, no violence in public space!" the younger looking boy cries out in protest and lifts his arm to shield his head.

The boy then takes a glance at me before tossing Seonghwa a teasing look. "If I'd known you had a date, hyung, then I would have never come!" he exclaims, before leaning closer to me and saying: "honestly I don't know why you can stand him, he has an oppa kink, you know?"

And the once wide smirk turns into a high pitched shriek when he dodges yet another incoming napkin.

"You really need to start respecting the people older than you," Seonghwa huffs in his seat.

"Grandpa." "Grandpa." Seonghwa's cousin and I mutter at the same time, causing us to erupt into fits of laughter, going in for a high five.

"I like her already," he comments, grinning and showing his dimples on full display.

"I'm San, by the way," San tells me, before proceeding to take my hand off from the top of the table it was resting on to shake it. Which I kind of have to return whether I like it or not, but his grasp on my hand was soft and reassuring.

"So I've heard...Hyeshin," I say, and when an idea pops into my head, I sneakily slip my index finger from the hold and tickle his palm. It results in San almost somersaulting into the air, feeling ticklish at the sudden gesture.

After fixing the fallen chair that he had somehow knocked over, San recollects himself and shoots the both of us a wide grin (wow this guy really likes to show off his dimples huh?). "Regardless of the stunt you just pulled, I still like you better than this grandpa," he tells me, giving Seonghwa a pat on the back.

The said boy gives his cousin a look of disbelief.

"Top ten anime betrayal?" I quietly say, watching them with an amused expression.

"Please don't hype him up," Seonghwa sighs, dropping his head on the table in disappointment, to which San gives a hearty chuckle at.

So I reach out and pat his shoulder firmly. "Don't worry, I'm not," I say. Before adding "grandpa", of course.

"Congrats, San, you found another one belonging in your species."

"Yeah, I'm just gonna pretend I didn't hear that and leave Seonghwa hyung alone and get grandma's seaweed soup all to myself..." San says thoughtfully in a tone to tease his cousin before slowly heading towards the door. "See you around Hyeshin! Bye Seonghwa hyung!"

And he's out the door.

I watch Seonghwa as he packs his things before standing from his seat, slipping his phone into his pocket and dusting off the back of his thighs. "Well, as much as I'd love to stay here, the person I've been waiting for had graced his presence upon us," he tells me, "and I'd hate to miss that seaweed soup, so I gotta go."

"Wow, pulling out a Chungha at me, huh?" I comment as I too, stand up.

Seonghwa grins at me.

"It was nice meeting you, Hyeshin."

"Likewise," I answer, "see you around?"

"Sure!"

With that, Seonghwa gives me one last smile before turning around to walk out of the door.

When he's out of sight, I plonk myself back down, widening my eyes as to what just happened. My hands resting on my forehead and _okay, okay, okay,_ never have I ever been this smooth at conversing with a stranger before.

Usually, I was the one who would wait until someone comes and greets me, _then_ I'd start a somewhat 'forced' conversation (unless if they were my friends already, of course). But something in me seemed to click right away and honestly, even though I don't know what it is that we are now, whether we are friends or still acquaintances but I guess, 'see you around' meant we're friends, right?

Leaving the roastery after the sun hangs high in the sky, I walk under the light back towards home. That's when I feel a slightly burning tingle on the left side of my back and I stop in my tracks, backtracking my memories, trying to remember.

Everyone knew what that meant, even kids as young as 3 would know what it means when you feel that. I never mentally prepared for what I would do when this day comes, because to be honest, I never knew that it will ever will and when this slaps me right in the face, I don't know how to act.

Worse, I almost feel my heart drop when I don't even know who it was.


	3. 'You-Think-Too-Much' is My Middle Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'M telling you, Kang Yeosang, I touched him!"

**"I'M** telling you, Kang Yeosang, I touched him!" I cry into my phone that night. "Or her, I don't know their gender but point is, we touched!"

It was already the night before Monday and I'm having one of my pre-Monday breakdowns and somehow, this had weaved its way into it and making it more stressful. As always, Kang Yeosang was on speed dial and was ready to answer my call with a "go get yourself some ice cream" before I could even say hello.

So here I am, with myself sprawled on my bed with a tub of ice cream next to me and lifting one spoon into my mouth before I continue my next sentence.

"There were lots of people this morning, bro, it could've been anyone!" I exclaim after another spoon, "I mean, it couldn't be the roastery lady, could it?"

Yeosang lets out a snort as if he's trying to hold back his laughter.

My lips pout when my best friend fails to contain his cackling, stabbing the spoon in my hand deep into the small tub of Neapolitan ice cream.

"Look, I'm not sure if I could head over to your apartment tonight because I have a shit ton to do," the boy over the phone line says after calming down, "but sometimes, Hyeshin, we don't even know who we share our stars with."

When Yeosang finishes his sentence, I suddenly remember what happened nearly three years ago, back when we were seventeen and fighting our way in order to survive high school. Yeosang and I were just finishing up school for the day and as per usual, I waited for Yeosang by the lockers. That day was nothing special at first, until we almost missed the bus for our route home. Yeosang had sprained his ankle during P.E. three days before and so I was the one who had to chase the bus down so it would stop for us. The vehicle was crowded but it was our only choice as it was the last one for another hour and unless we wanted to only start heading home after dark, we somehow made it work.

The next day, Yeosang had come rushing to my door in such urgency and he slid the left side of the collar of his uniform down, showing me a mark on the back of his shoulder blade that I knew for sure wasn't there the day before. There was a faint shade of purple nebula clouds and a single blue star in the middle, a small yet delicate cursive writing at the bottom reading ' _amare_ ' decorating the masterpiece.

No doubt, it was one of the most beautiful things I've seen engraved on someone before. My parents had one similar but of a different star in perhaps a completely different galaxy - but ' _amare_ ' all the same.

Yeosang's stern voice cuts me off from my thoughts. As if reading my mind, he tells me: "please don't think about what happened to me, I'm just saying that there are a lot of other people out there who aren't so lucky."

Amare - meaning 'love'.

How could someone like Yeosang let go of that so easily?

"Now, Hyeshin, this is about you and how you are going to find him," Yeosang tells me, "so finish your ice cream and forget about my mark, okay?"

"But Yeosang -"

"Yeah okay I'm hanging up..." he threatens and although I know that he wouldn't, I still cry in protest and I can literally hear him grin. Like, really.

"You do this every single time," I say, sighing in defeat.

"It's been years, Shin-ah," and I can almost see his face engraved with a small saddened smile, "it's really okay. But you, my dear friend, yours is fresh and literally the hot tea right now and not to mention that I haven't even seen it which means I have to go to your place as soon as I can get this done which could probably late tonight but you don't mind right? Oh and ..."

Yeosang gasps in the middle of his rambling.

"Have you told your parents?"

At that moment, I try to imagine my parents' reactions if I actually did tell them not too long ago. I mean, I was already close to their front steps and all I had to do was go 'rat-tat-tat-tat' on their door but the inner voice me chickened out when they opened it and said that I wanted some food instead.

"Please don't give me that disappointed look," I say, fidgeting with the covers underneath me in a sheepish tone.

"You can't even see me?"

"Come on, Yeosang, you and I have known each other since we jumped out of our mothers' uteruses," I continue to say as I twist my position to lie on my stomach.

Yeosang sighs on the other side of the line. "Why haven't you told your parents?" he asks, "this is a huge milestone of your life, Hyeshin!"

"Because they'll ask who it is and when I don't know it myself then it would worry them more than it would excite them," I answer honestly and before Yeosang could say anything to add on to it, I continue, "and I know that you told your parents anyways but _still_."

"Okay," the boy tells me calmly, "okay, it was your choice. But I'm coming over later so please put your keys where you usually put it because I know you'll fall asleep right after this."

"I need to continue on this for a bit so I'll see you later, yes?"

I know that I most definitely didn't sleep right away after ending the call with Yeosang. I remember flicking through my phone for a little but I most definitely remember waking up at one in the morning to the sound of my front door closing and the soft click of the lock afterwards.

Stumbling off my bed, I waddle to the living room to see Yeosang 'tsk'ing over my messy shoe rack by the door.

"And she _seriously_ calls herself neat?" I could hear him mutter under his breath, shaking his head before placing his own pair of shoes in an empty space on the top of the rack.

When Yeosang diverts his attention from the rack and his eyes land on me, his lips tug into a smile and they got even wider when I mention that there were two more tubs of ice cream in the freezer ready for him whenever he wanted some.

We sit in my small living room, and even though the weather wasn't exactly cold enough, we are still accompanied by the soft whirring of the medium-sized electric heater I have resting not too far from our feet. Yeosang sprawls himself over my couch, one leg across my lap and the other edging close to the heater as much as it could. My TV flickers on not too far from us and from the corners of my eyes, I could see Yeosang pressing buttons on the remote randomly and stops when it gets to Nickelodeon.

"So where were you this morning?" he asks, resting his head back onto the wall behind him.

"At the coffee place," I say simply as I watch old re-run episodes of Spongebob Squarepants on the TV, "where else would I be?"

Yeosang shrugs, "don't know, the library maybe? Playing Fireboy and Watergirl on their computers?"

Then he is met by the whack of a small cushion that I had thrown. "Five year old me, maybe, but seriously?"

"So I met these kids," I tell him, feeling my eyes droop slowly, "Seonghwa and San. Do you know them?"

Yeosang tilts his head to the side. "No, I guess not."

I nod, trying to desperately keep my eyes open.

We sit together in silence, enjoying the way the heat from the heater coats the bottom of our feet in warmth. And I swear, I was only a second away from drifting off to dreamland if it wasn't for Yeosang to tap me lightly on the shoulder.

"Can I see it?" he asks quietly.

"See what?"

"The... _you know_ ," he continues, "the mark?"

Sighing, I turn around to face away from him and I let my head hang forward as his hand pulls away the back of my collar to reveal the swirls of colours underneath the fabric.

"Wow," I hear him mutter, "this is so pretty."

"Tell me what it looks like?"

"You haven't seen it?"

To that, I shake my head no.

So he goes on to tell me that it was pretty, really pretty to the point where it's beautiful. I almost smack him because of that. Yeosang tells me that the star was white and the colour swirls around it were turquoise and purple, and that at the bottom, it reads 'amare' just like his. He says that even if a tattooist were to recreate that, the level of artistry wouldn't even compare.

And he goes on to tell me that I should be proud to be the child of that star for it shines bright, brighter among its cosmic friends in the background.

That's what he tells me anyway, but I smile at that, glad to know that he thinks the mark I own is of something.

"What star is this?" he asks, "where is it from?"

I pause for a moment. "I don't know," I say, "but Yeosang?"

The boy behind me hums as he fixes back my shirt before patting my head, softly placing his hand under my chin to guide my head to lean on his shoulder.

"I felt the mark coming as I was leaving the roastery," I tell him, "and I can't help but wonder..."

"... if it's Seonghwa or San?"

Letting out a frustrated exhale, I give Yeosang a nod. "But what if it's the bartender?" I ask him, "his name is Yunho, I think?"

"You think too much."

"'You-Think-Too-Much' is my middle name," I say as I stifle a yawn.

Yeosang lets out a low chuckle before patting my head softly. "Sleep," he tells me, "it's Monday tomorrow."

And so, I snuggle in closer to him, finding some warmth in the cold room as he turns down the volume of the TV. As I find my eyes flutter itself to sleep, I could feel Yeosang reaching to his back pocket and pulling out his phone. I'm sure it's just my eyes playing tricks with my mind, but is it really just my imagination when I read the contact name to be saying the word 'Wooyoung'?

After all, I was already half-asleep. Who knows, it could've been someone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ksjfhdskg hi <3


	4. So You Think You Can Help Hyeshin?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What's it to you?" I hiss, quickly taking my hand away and focusing on the front of the room.
> 
> "Maybe I can help, you know?"

**IT** felt like falling and it was me falling.

Off the couch and on to the ground with a loud thud, of course.

That's how my Monday morning started, by the way. And when I look up, I see that Yeosang's feet are dangling over the edge of the couch - which I assume was where I was sleeping because of how close the distance was from where I fell.

This boy had the audacity to kick me in his sleep!? Yeowch, I feel hurt. Both physically and mentally.

But nevertheless, I pick myself up from the floor and start to get ready for the day.

When I step in front of the mirror, about to wash my face, I see a glint of something else in my eyes that I know wasn't there yesterday morning, or the morning before that, and maybe the morning before that as well. It's like a sparkle and it made my heart skip - since when was I like this?

And I stare at myself for even longer, looking back at the reflection who stares at me. Something indeed swirled in her irises, the longer gaze into them, the more I notice the colours. A soft turquoise, sometimes glinting green and a second later, they're purple, before they fade back into my old brown ones. Like an aurora.

With a small gasp, I quickly turn around to face away from the mirror and slide the left side of my collar down my arm. My eyes peer over my shoulder and that's when I see it in its colours more strikingly vibrant than what Yeosang had described to me earlier this morning. I find myself getting pulled, intrigued and becoming more attached into the symbol carved on my skin so I decide that even if I don't find who I share my star with, at least I know that I've seen them somewhere before.

And that I'm not alone.

Yeosang calls my name from outside, so I quickly pull my shirt back up and hurriedly wash my face and brush my teeth, making myself look a little more presentable in the eye of the public.

"Yes..!?" I call back, hopping out of the bathroom whilst trying my hair up into a ponytail.

"What food do you have?" Yeosang's voice echoes down the hall, telling me that he's probably in the kitchen.

I stride into the kitchen to find the boy scanning through my fridge with a thoughtful look. "I usually have a box of cereal down here..." I say and crouch down to open up a cabinet on the bottom of the kitchen counters, pulling out a box of cornflakes and Milo cereal. "... ta-dah!"

Yeosang blinks before taking the Milo box and helps himself to a generous helping of breakfast. Joining alongside him, I let out an exhausted sigh.

It's only Monday and yet I feel drained already and I shouldn't have negative thoughts so early in the week. That I know, but when you can already feel how exhausting the week ahead will be then, so long energy, I guess.

Furthermore, I can't stop thinking about my star partner - who are they? How old are they? Were they only here to visit the country or are they a resident? Are they nice? What job do they have - or do they not work at all?

There are almost 8 billion people on this planet, which means almost 4 billion stars out there had split their lights. With that many people on board this, I wish they had a GPS system to track down your celestial other.

"Hyeshin, you look ugly," Yeosang stops my train of thoughts, almost making me lose balance of my chin and I can't even imagine what I would do if my head falls down to the bottom of the cereal bowl.

"Yeosang, what the hell -!?"

The boy only gives me a nonchalant shrug. "Nothing, it's a new week and you would've just looked better with a smile, not a frown."

Rolling my eyes, I flick Yeosang's forehead with my fingers, resulting him to chorus in a painful whine. But he laughs anyway and grins when he sees the small smile on my lips.

"Come on, let's hurry up and finish our breakfast," Yeosang says to me before continuing his meal, "you still need to grab your coffee before class, right?"

Not half an hour later, we are out my apartment, walking side by side in the fresh autumn morning sun. This time, we go to a different coffee shop, somewhere Yeosang liked. There's too many people at the usual roastery, he says, and it almost scared him away. My usual go-to, the all-mighty cappuccino is now in my hands in a small cardboard cup and the two of us stroll along the footpath as Yeosang talks to me about how the wheels of his favourite penny board rolled away the previous morning.

When we get to campus ground, I can instantly feel the regret of myself leaving my bedroom earlier this morning. I shouldn't have gone to see Yeosang come in, moreover, Yeosang shouldn't even kick me off _my_ own couch.

"Can I teleport back to my bed please?" I groan, leaning over dramatically on Yeosang who rolls his eyes and shoves me away.

"It's kind of your fault you decided to go to uni when you could be travelling the world instead," Yeosang tells me with a shrug, guiding me with his hands firm on my shoulders as we make our way through the halls to my morning class.

"Why did _you_ come with me, then?" I ask him, "for all we know you could be in Santorini right now and I could come up with an excuse that a family member there was getting married?"

My best friend laughs sarcastically. "No one's getting married, Shin," he tells me when we get to the front of the lecture room, "and you, my friend, need to head inside!"

With one last huff, I leave a chuckling Yeosang in the halls and I march into the room before sitting myself down on my usual spot near the middle row.

Before he leaves, Yeosang pops his head in and waves to the back of the classroom and sticks his tongue out at me then leaves.

My head turns to see who he was waving at and I find myself being half surprised seeing Jung Wooyoung smiling to himself as he finishes the last fold of today's paper plane.

Not long afterwards, I feel something hit the side of my head and when I see what it is, a perfectly crafted paper plane floats down to the ground and before I could react, Wooyoung makes himself comfortable on the seat next to mine.

"I know we hardly talk but I heard you're a friend of Yeosang's," he tells me casually as if we've been the closest of friends since forever.

"Best friend," I correct him.

Wooyoung lets out a small laugh. "Sorry, my mistake," he says, " _best friend_."

"You can continue."

"San told me you guys met yesterday," he tells me, leaning back on the chair, ignoring the way people are looking at his way too relaxed manner. "At the roastery, was it? You were having a date with Seonghwa hyung."

Choking, I look at him with a look of disbelief. "Excuse me!?" I snap, " _d-date_ , you say!? Where did you get that idea?"

"San, duh."

Sighing, I let my chin rest on top of my arm as we wait for the professor to come in. "I thought I already let him know that it wasn't one," I mumble out whilst playing with a random piece of rubber I found on the table.

"San tells me you were there since the early morning with Seonghwa hyung?"

Wooyoung was focused on his phone when I tilt my head back to see what he's doing. Automatically, I grab the phone out of his hands and find that San's name was written on top of the chatroom. Rolling my eyes, I slam the phone lightly on the table before eyeing Wooyoung sharply.

"Okay, let me get this straight," I tell him, "I admit, I was with Seonghwa since the early morning but so what? It was San's fault for leaving him alone for so long! So I _wasn't_ on a date, San could only imagine something so big."

After taking one last inhale, I cross my arms before I too, lean back on my seat.

Anything to do with the cousins makes my head want to explode right now. Their names set a trigger to my brain that makes me think about the mark on my the back of my shoulder blade, which makes me think of the two yet again and they all go round in a never-ending circle. That thought leads me to subconsciously touch the mark lightly with the tip of my fingers and I let my head droop down.

Maybe Wooyoung's noticed my actions and makes a captivated look, tilting his head observantly. And he gasps.

"Did you get _the_ mark?" he whisper-yells, eyes wide open.

"Does you touching your mark and the two of them have a connection with why you're being unlike yourself today?" he continues almost in one breath.

"What's it to you?" I hiss, quickly taking my hand away and focusing on the front of the room.

"Maybe I can help, you know?"

I don't say anything to him and block out his voice as the professor comes in with an annoyingly big grin on his face, announcing to the class that we will be having a pop quiz today.

But as class ends and I wake up from the small nap I took, I find a small piece of paper scrunched in my hand. Looking around to check if anyone's looking, I straighten it out from the balled condition it was in.

_XXXX-XXX-XXX_   
_Wooyoung._

Trying to contain an amused snort of laughter, I slip the piece of paper down the front pocket of my bag and stand up to leave the room.

Like he's gonna be of any help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi uh, i really still dk how frequent i'll update this aah um i'll try to have an organised schedule sjkfdjsgh


	5. In Which Seonghwa Loves B-TEEZ

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "B-TEEZ?" he asks, making a somewhat 'not bad' face. "They're kinda cool, I like them."
> 
> "Now that you've added your words of contribution, can you leave me in peace thank you very much?"

**TODAY,** I find myself wandering back and forth in between the many rows of bookshelves in the library merely for my own enjoyment. Yeosang's class finishes in about half an hour and I've got some spare time to kill before we both would usually go out for lunch at a nearby Subway or something.

You know, there's just this something comforting about the library and maybe it's because I love the peace and quiet as well as the warmth of the heaters whirring from the ceiling. Somehow it feels like a better 'different' than the heaters back home. Usually, I'd snatch a random book from the shelves and have a quick read of it while plugging my earphones to a computer and watch a dozen music videos.

Some people may call it lame and that there's probably a million of other exciting things I could do, but sometimes just sitting down with a nice piece to read is comforting.

So I do it again, this time picking out a book about Greek mythology from the 'G' aisle.

Sliding on to my usual seat at the computer rows, I quickly turn the device on and plug my earphones to watch one of my favourite boy group, B-TEEZ's new music video as I read.

It's one of the fewer things I enjoy doing on my own, being engrossed in my own world in a quiet room and surrounding myself with the enthralling words as the book tries to captivate me, telling their story with the faint booms and claps of the song sounding far, far away. I find myself being transported into the peaks of Mount Olympus, where the Gods and Goddesses walk around majestically in their silky white robes and silver headpieces.

My mind tries to picture the most beautiful woman I can make up in my mind, and there I was, having a small talk with Aphrodite whose voice sounds soft and melodic. Or I could be watching Artemis out in the forests somewhere, pulling on her bow and arrow to shoot at a target fixed on a tree. Or maybe, I could see Apollo begging Daphne to stay, being blinded by the cloud of lust caused by the arrow of love that had shot him.

As I flip another page over, someone tugs at my earbuds and let them drop to the side. Before I could cry out in protest, the person tilts his head and lets out of a curious hum.

"B-TEEZ?" he asks, making a somewhat 'not bad' face. "They're kinda cool, I like them."

"Now that you've added your words of contribution, can you leave me in peace thank you very much?" I say, shuffling in my seat before slipping the bud into my ear once again, focusing back on the words typed on the pieces of paper.

"No, _you're welcome,_ " Seonghwa nudges me slightly so he could see the screen more clearly, "I totally forgot Neverland comes out today!"

I try to ignore Seonghwa, tracing my eyes over the lines of the paragraph to remember where I was up to but with the boy almost banging his head on the table - which left me a little alarmed because... what if they snap? His neck, I mean.

"My favourite is Seonghoon, by the way," he tells me after the song ends, looking up to meet my eyes. "Who's your favourite?"

"Juyoung," I simply tell him and click another song.

"Awh, are you in a bad mood today?" Seonghwa chuckles teasingly.

I only spare him a glance before returning back to reading my book. Next to me Seonghwa now rests his head on his arm, stretching over so that he was looking forward at me before pulling the top of my book down. Scowling, I place my book down on the table and tug at my earphones before fully turning to face him.

"Yes, what do you want?" I ask.

Seonghwa flashes me a boyish grin. "Nothing," he chirps, "you were just sitting here alone and I owe you for yesterday anyhow."

My frown quickly turns into an amused chuckle as I try to hide my reddening cheeks — oh God, I hope he doesn't see. I try to avoid his gaze by letting my hair fall over my face, it's as if he could know every secret running through my veins had he looked inside my eyes for a mere second.

"Heard from San who heard from Wooyoung that you weren't feeling yourself today, no?" he pats my arm before returning to sit properly on his chair. "If you didn't want to share, don't worry, he didn't mention anything about it but now that I see it, you're acting kinda different from yesterday."

"I'm fine, just waiting for Yeosang," I say once I'm sure that my cheeks have returned to its normal colour, "it's something I like to do since I don't really get much time for myself, I guess."

The blonde-haired boy rolls his eyes and puffs out his cheeks. "Let's go somewhere," he states, standing up before outstretching his hand, "while you're waiting?"

"But Yeosang —"

"— heh, he can wait if you could wait," he shrugs before pulling me to my feet and swiftly shuts the PC down before I could stop him. Seonghwa nods toward the exit before dragging me with him. "Let's go, you want to check your book out?"

As I walk, I do a double think then place it on a wheelie cart full of other books that had yet been returned to their shelves. "Nah," I tell him, "where are we going?"

"I don't know," Seonghwa answers lightly, his lips slightly tugging up in a small smile, "We just met yesterday and I feel like I'm gonna cross paths with you more often so why don't we just walk and talk?"

Laughing along with him, I say, "sure, whatever you say."

Walk and talks might as well be my new favourite thing. The man next to me keeps his pace in time with mine as we walk aimlessly around campus. We turn a few heads as we stroll past and I must admit, Jeon Hyeshin and Park Seonghwa didn't really look like the kind of people to be hanging out together. Art students don't really mingle with music students, unless at a party of course. I recognise a few of the people Seonghwa greets as we walk — one of them being Kim Hongjoong, which I find out who's in his third year and by the way Seonghwa spoke so casually to him made me connect the dots and realise that Seonghwa is actually older than me by one year

"You didn't tell me you were in the same year as Kim Hongjoong," I comment after the said red-haired boy passes by, giving me one last polite nod of acknowledgement.

"Didn't really feel the need to," Seonghwa lifts his hand to rub the back of his nape sheepishly.

"Oh really?" I smirk playfully as I remember what San mentioned yesterday. It seems that Seonghwa catches on to what I'm thinking of and he lets out a long groan, crouching low to the ground to hide (more like 'show' but whatever) his embarrassment.

He looks up at me who's giggling in satisfactory with a small pout. "Please forget about that," he whines, "I swear I'm gonna kill San the next time I see him..." I hear him add under his breath.

"Should I?" I say thoughtfully in a sarcastic tone as I get him to his feet, "but I thought you were the grandpa, so I shouldn't forget things easily."

"Is San living inside you?"

"Nope but he could be," I joke and there was a brief moment of silence before I earn myself a playful smack across my arm from Seonghwa.

"Young lady, your thoughts!" he scolds me, sounding much like a mum.

After a few minutes of more strolling around, my hand naturally finds Seonghwa's and I lead him into a cute looking stationery shop just across the street.

"I hope you don't mind," I say, turning to face him with an innocent grin, "I need to pick up a few sticky notes and maybe some pens because I ran out, is that okay?"

Seonghwa leans against the light purple wall of the shop, arms crossed and tilt his head to the side. "Go ahead, take your time," he says.

I take that as a cue to start wandering inside the shop. There are a few people here and there, looking at notebooks and binders and I see a person stressing over two pastel coloured planners then ending up placing the both of them in her shopping basket. Just when I thought I won't be caught in a dilemma between two sketchbooks — I'm stuck with not two, but _three_.

Sighing, I take all of them before marching my way to Seonghwa (who looks as if this is boring the hell out of him but he doesn't show any signs of it when I approach him) and show him the sketchbooks.

"These are for me?" he asks in a half-serious tone, half-joking tone.

I quickly jerk the books closer to me, frowning. "No, idiot, they're for me!" I tsk to myself and show him them to him again. "Well, maybe only one of them. Which one do you think looks better?"

Seonghwa hums as he thinks, making me look up at him through his lashes to see if he's actually giving some thought — abort mission! I shouldn't have looked at him and oh God I know I shouldn't even be thinking this but wow, how does one look so handsome and so cute at the same time?

(You didn't hear that from me).

After a while, he pulls out the book with a deep coloured cardboard cover and black coloured spirals to bind the papers together.

"Why this?"

"I don't know," he tells me but then he gives me a lopsided grin, "I think it matches with your hair and your eyes."

Huffing, I lightly pull on his ear. Seonghwa yelps in surprise, caressing his ear softly. "Sheesh, what did my ear ever do to you?" he mumbles under his breath.

Ignoring what he said, I walk back to put the other two books where I found them before grabbing a few black coloured pens as I walk to the cashier.

But I can't help but think, you know. Wow, what a charmer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> goooodd day !! hehehe


End file.
